"If you compare him today with what he was when he started out as Mumbai Indians captain, he is a far better captain. He is much more confident now. He has gone through a lot of ups and downs as MI's captain and has faced a lot of challenges. These challenges only make you a better cricketer and a tougher person," Tendulkar said.

"I think his execution has been particularly good this season. Whatever we planned in the meetings and dressing room, he has been able to execute them very well. You can tell a lot about the captain from the feedback the bowlers give you. The bowlers bowl in the areas and execute the plans that the captain asks them to," Tendulkar told 'iplt20.com'.

"We can plan many things behind closed doors but it is up to the captain, the bowlers and the fielders to bring it all together. Rohit has done that well," he insisted.

"We had a difficult start, really tough one. But those are the testing moments. That's when the team stuck together and we worked hard. This victory is not a coincidence; it is the reflection of all the hard work that we have put in," added the legendary batsman.